James Hook and Co: Giant Fresh Lobster Rolls

On the edge of downtown, Boston near the harbour front is a small little trailer serving as both a fish shop and sandwich shop. There’s a big sign on top of the trailer that says James Hook and Co. with giant lobster claws, you can’t miss it. In front of the trailer is a huge smiling lobster statue, great for photo ops for tourists like us.

James Hook and Co., 15 Northern Ave, Boston, MA

We got to James Hook just after 12 noon and the line up was already out the door. The service was super efficient at James Hook though, a staff member walks down the line with the menu and takes orders as people wait in line so your lunch is prepared while you’re waiting beside the fresh lobster tanks. It might be a little morbid standing in line right beside the lobster tanks, knowing that we’d be eating them soon but at least we knew the shellfish was fresh. In fact, we looked over the counter and watched them de-shell, cook and prepare the lobster while we waited. We didn’t need to look at the menu that was being passed down the line, we were determined to try the giant lobster rolls. I ordered the regular sized lobster roll and my brother and husband ordered large sized ones but it seemed like my roll had the same amount of lobster meat but just stuffed into a smaller bun. A fork is totally necessary because it was impossible to bite into these massive lobster rolls without picking out some of the lobster meat first.

James Hook and Co., 15 Northern Ave, Boston, MA

James Hook and Co., 15 Northern Ave, Boston, MA

There’s something special about east coast lobster meat that I always crave. There’s a weight to it, a hefty, substantial bite to the lobster here versus the delicate, soft and dainty lobsters of the Pacific coast. And the lobster rolls at James Hook were no exception. I loved how the lobster roll was not too heavily dressed, the bun was soft and pillowy and the giant chunks of lobster meat were left to shine through.

James Hook and Co., 15 Northern Ave, Boston, MA

Both my brother and husband felt like there should have been some colour added to the rolls like parsley or something else green but I was fine with just bun and lobster meat. I couldn’t ask for more.

James Hook and Co., 15 Northern Ave, Boston, MA

If you want to visit James Hook and Co., make sure you go early as the line up gets pretty long at lunch time.